Candid shots without looking like a "pest"

[Aardvark101]

Hi all, any tips for walkaround photos without looking "Dodgy", lots of people seem to be quite touchy about having their pictures taken these days and i dont want to hit with an umberela or a lawsuit:lol:
cheers Paul

[foeduck]

as long as you are standing on public property ex: sidewalk or street, you can photograph anything you want. you could even photograph inside someones house as long as it is viewable from public property so dont ever be afraid to take a photograph, know your rights and use them. the worst someone can do is tell you they dont want their picture taken and by then you already have taken a few you want lol.

[billybookcase]

as long as you are standing on public property ex: sidewalk or street, you can photograph anything you want. you could even photograph inside someones house as long as it is viewable from public property so dont ever be afraid to take a photograph, know your rights and use them. the worst someone can do is tell you they dont want their picture taken and by then you already have taken a few you want lol.

i think he's talking more about the ethics not the legalities. I have trouble with that concept too as everyone's personal bubble has been steadily increasing.

one thing you can try is to play with hyperfocal distances and then you can shoot from the hip without much worrying about focusing. or you can just look friendly and smile and maybe interact with the people more instead of taking pictures and then walking off.

[c_boogie]

for me, it's about looking natural, part of the scene and at ease. If you're in a busy situation, fewer people will look at you or even notice you than you'd imagine. When I do street photography I shoot with a short focal range lens (there's something very "Aqualung" about the telephoto lens in street photography, if you ask me) - and stay up close and personal. I don't force eye contact but don't shy away from it either.

I've had the benefit of shooting in foreign countries, so I probably come off more as a tourist than anything else, but that's part of blending in with the crowd, isn't it? Just look like you belong, be casual, have fun with it. eventually you'll become at ease with it and you won't hesitate a bit.

[foeduck]

just act like its no big deal, the more natural you act the less people will wonder, "whats that guy creepin with the camera doing"

[NeverFollow]

My general rule is: If the person(s) asking for it ( street performing/acting odd/etc....) I will take the photo. If the person seems to be "normal" and they will make a really good photo then I simply go up and ask if I can take their photo.

[Christopher Steven b]

i think he's talking more about the ethics not the legalities. I have trouble with that concept too as everyone's personal bubble has been steadily increasing.

one thing you can try is to play with hyperfocal distances and then you can shoot from the hip without much worrying about focusing. or you can just look friendly and smile and maybe interact with the people more instead of taking pictures and then walking off.

I struggle with the ethics of street photography: I enjoy looking at others' work (HCB, e.g.) and I often feel the impulse to do it myself as I'm dodging pedestrians down busy sidewalks; but there really is something very strange about photographing someone, a stranger, without their permission. It feels even more ethically dubious if you are convinced they don't want to be photographed or if your split second capture depicts them in an unflattering way, a way they have no control over.

I like your suggestion--engage with people. I think it at least mitigates the ethical issues, in addition to making it easier for the photographer.

[hairy_moth]

The rumors of the forthcoming 60D with an Articulating screen seem to have died down.. too bad, that would be good for inconspicuous shooting, for example with the camera sitting in your lap while you look into the out-of-site, folded out screen which is facing up.

[Aardvark101]

Thanks for the replys guys,i dont mind interacting with people but maybe that can make it more of a posed shot and people put their "masks" on, maybe i should just go with the flow like its no biggie...oh and dump the raincoat:)

[toxic]

Just act normally. What you will or won't take pictures of is up to you. If someone notices and doesn't like it, respect that and just delete the photo.

Asking before you take a picture of someone defeats the purpose of street photography (or any sort of candid, for that matter). Then it's just an environmental portrait. You can ask afterwards if it makes you feel better, though.

[CanonGarcon]

Bring a big white lens with a big 1D series camera. Photograph only cute young women. Show up looking like Pointdexter or a street person and you will be fine. No one will notice you.

[NeoSoulPhoto]

The rumors of the forthcoming 60D with an Articulating screen seem to have died down.. too bad, that would be good for inconspicuous shooting, for example with the camera sitting in your lap while you look into the out-of-site, folded out screen which is facing up.

The Nikon D5000 has one! :D

as for the thread, I rarely get caught. I'm usually shooting with a telephoto pretty far away. I've been caught about 3 times, but no has ever confronted me.